Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Mexican stuffed peppers are a delicious, wholesome, and healthy meal that is loaded with fun Mexican flavors. Vibrant bell peppers are stuffed with a well-seasoned ground beef filling that tastes like taco meat, along with rice, corn, and beans, and topped with a Tex Mex cheese blend that is baked until melty and gooey. This family favorite is perfect when you are hosting a fiesta night for dinner, or whenever you are craving something delicious. It's easy to make ahead, freezes well, and perfect for meal prep. Plus, leftovers the next day might even taste better!

Why You'll Love Mexican Stuffed Peppers

• Stuffed peppers are a wholesome meal. We loved stuffed peppers because they have it all - protein, carbs, and veggies. Plus, you can switch up the flavors and turn it into a completely different meal. Whether we are enjoying these Mexican Stuffed Peppers, Vegan Stuffed Bell Peppers, Leftover Turkey Stuffed Peppers, or Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers, they always hit the spot.
• Healthy and delicious. With rice, beef, peppers, corn, beans, and cheese, you get everything you need for a balanced meal in a perfect single-sized portion. Loaded with vitamins and minerals, you can feel good about feeding it to your family.
• Stuffed peppers = meal prep goals. Mexican stuffed peppers are easy to make ahead, and they freeze and reheat really well. You can freeze just the filling and assemble when you are ready to bake, or freeze the entire stuffed pepper. You can also make a batch and portion them out into meal prep containers and enjoy them over the next few days for wholesome work lunches.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make these delicious Mexican stuffed peppers, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

• bell peppers - I used red bell peppers, but feel free to use any color that you want. Look for peppers that are large and round and easy to stuff.
• olive oil
• ground beef
• onion + garlic
• tomato sauce
• green onion
• taco seasoning - you can substitute the taco seasoning with 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon dried oregano.
• salt and pepper
• cooked rice - use any leftover rice that you have on hand. (ie. plain rice, brown rice, etc.). Cilantro Lime Rice is delicious in here.
• black beans
• corn
• Tex Mex cheese - or substitute with Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, shallow saucepan or skillet, and 9x13-inch casserole pan.

How to Make the Best Mexican Stuffed Peppers

1. Prepare the bell peppers. Slice the bell peppers in halve lengthwise and remove and discard the seeds. Place the bell peppers on a 9x13-inch casserole pan or large baking dish and set aside.
2. Cook the beef. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook for 6-8 minutes until browned evenly. Break up the beef into small pieces to help even browning.
3. Make the beef filling. Add onion and garlic. Mix well and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes until soft and tender. Stir in tomato sauce and green onions and season with taco seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix well and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the lid and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes. Add rice, black beans, corn and 1 cup cheese and mix well to combine. Turn off the heat.

4. Stuff the peppers and bake. Fill up each pepper with the beef filling. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake in a 375 F preheated oven for 40 minutes.
5. Top with cheese. Remove from the oven and sprinkle a tablespoon of cheese on top of each stuffed pepper. Bake uncovered for another 5-7 minutes until the cheese is melted. Let the stuffed peppers rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onions on top and serve.

More Ground Beef Recipes

• 25 Best Ground Beef Recipes
• Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
• Beef Taco Soup
• Mexican Ground Beef Tacos
• Swedish Meatballs
• Meat Lasagna

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